Olympic stadium future still in limbo

Oct 11, 2012 3:57 AM GMT

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West Ham United remain a long way from agreeing a deal to move into the London Olympic Stadium, according to the venue's owners.

The English Premier League club want to make the Olympic Stadium their home from the 2014/15 season onwards, but disagreements over proposed changes, which could cost 160 million pounds, mean the deal is far from finalised.

Dennis Hone, the chief executive of the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), which controls the Olympic precinct, has revealed a decision could be delayed for at least a couple of months.

"If we can't come to a conclusion, in the scheme of things if it slips another month or two I would rather get the right solution," Hone told the Guardian.

"Yes, the stadium is tricky but it's tricky because we want to get it right.

"I would hate to bung someone in there and see it fall apart in five years.

"If it takes a couple of extra months to get there, then so be it."

West Ham want retractable seating to be installed at the Olympic stadium so it can be reconfigured as a rectangular venue but they do not want to pay for the upgrade.

The LLDC have received other bids, including from League One club Leyton Orient, which remain an option.

"We have had discussions with all of the bidders," Hone said.

"The difficulty is that we are balancing the adaptations we have to make to the stadium against the proposals that have come in and the benefits, financial and otherwise, that those proposals bring.

"If it was a knockout (verdict) it would be an easy decision but it's not."